A classroom teacher’s view on homework

Homework can be a dissentious topic in the education neighborhood, and we hope you can appreciate this teachers point of view. How do you interact with families about homework?

When thinking of homework, instructors discover it advantageous to communicate their policy with the families of their trainees. After just recently completing a Learners Edge course, Jennifer Lindsey, a 4th grade teacher from Pennsylvania, assessed her research philosophy which consists of the purposeful functions teachers and households play.

LE: What is your position on the problem of homework?
I answer as an educator and as the moms and dad of school age children when I address this question. I do see research as having a function in the educational process and I do not agree with Alfie Kohn (see post), who appears to believe homework is worthless, or worse, has a negative effect. While Kohn asserts there is nearly no research that proves research to be beneficial, I did not see a convincing amount of difficult data to support getting rid of all research.
Yes, the quantity of homework need to be based on the students age and grade level. As a lot of Kindergarten-3rd grade teachers are self-contained, it must be fairly simple to give mathematics homework one night, checking out or spelling one night, etc to prevent overwhelming 5 to 8-year-olds. If teachers are creative with projects and in interacting the purpose of the project, trainees ought to not become bored or frustrated. Those are my goals as a fourth-grade teacher. I see homework to extend learning. Would I assign 30 mathematics problems to trainees who I understand would battle with them, or to trainees who have shown their understanding of the ability? No, in those cases, it is my job as the teacher to modify the projects.
Our book points out it can take 24 repetitions of a skill for a trainee to reach 80% proficiency. Kohn points out how students might become better at keeping in mind, however not believing. I see this as two different things; we need trainees to remember specific truths and then move on to using those skills as thinkers and issue solvers.
As a parent, it can be difficult to squeeze in research some nights! My own children have actually brought house assignments I believed too lengthy or unsuitable for one night. We do the very best we can, and if we have problems or concerns, I reach out to the instructor. Understanding some students have little or no support in the house need to be acknowledged by teachers. Once again, great instructors make it a point to understand what some home situations might resemble and to customize appropriately. When possible, coworkers can interact, as described in 2 supplemental course posts, by establishing a discovering lab or including “Drop-In” times throughout the school day
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I do see homework as having a role in the instructional process and I do not concur with Alfie Kohn (see post), who appears to believe homework is worthless, or worse, has a negative effect. While Kohn asserts there is almost no research that shows research to be advantageous, I did not see a persuading quantity of hard data to support doing away with all research.
Yes, the quantity of homework ought to be based on the students age and grade level. As many Kindergarten-3rd grade teachers are self-contained, it needs to be relatively basic to provide mathematics homework one night, spelling or reading one night, and so on to prevent overloading 5 to 8-year-olds. Homework can be a dissentious topic in the education neighborhood, and we hope you can value this instructors point of view.

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